Best idea to dress on a budget is to purchase off eBay. Can get some great deals on there, especially if you are familar with your size on the brand. Also lots of these stores now a days have sales once or twice a year where things go on clearance and can be had for 50% - 75% off. A few stores that come to mind are the Hollister/Abercrombie, Express, Banana Republic, Armani Exchange, etc. Like others said, you just have to determine your "budget" and then work from there.

VerifiedGold Member

My recommendation is to follow one store style- and dress on clearance. Let me explain.

Find a store near you that you feel exemplifies your dressing style: like Old Navy, Gap, JC Penney, etc. These stores all have clothing buyers that dress for a specific client group.

Next, find a specific style at those stores: for me, it's knowing what type of dress pants and dress shirts are the most flattering to my body- again- most stores have their "athletic cut" or "fitted" vs loose, straight leg vs boot cut, etc.

Now that the hard work is done, all I have to do is walk in and go to the clearance rack. Lots of stores arrange their clearance by size- so I will go and check out the medium and large choices. I'll look for a color, pattern, or style that interests me- otherwise I don't consider the rest unless I'm specifically on a mission to purchase one single item (a new pair of sweatpants, a package of white athletic socks, etc.) If the shirt is from a store I have shopped from before, I will often recognize the tag and know that the garment *should* fit me without even trying it on- it's simply "this year's color" of a shirt I might already own. I like what I wear, and I feel confident and attractive in it.

I ALMOST ALWAYS try things on in the store (unless it's socks or underwear) because you can find irregularities, missing buttons, difficult zippers, etc. by trying things on. If I am at all INDIFFERENT about the item, I don't rationalize a reason to need to buy it- instead I enjoy the "savings" of NOT buying it. Bottom line is if you're not CRAZY about it in the store, you're not going to wear it any more when you get home and then it's just taking up valuable space in your closet.

When buying on clearance, if you DO find something wrong with an item, don't be afraid to ask for an extra discount because the worst that someone will say is "no." Never hurts to see if there is room to reasonably adjust - however you're more likely to get a YES if you are reasonably about what your expecting - a good rule of thumb would be the tailor fee to fix: "Can you give me an extra $2 off to match and replace this missing button?" That's $2 more in your pocket. I found a GAP leather jacket on clearance, went down to the tailor and asked how much it would cost to restitch 6" of seam that had opened on the shoulder. Then I went back to the store, and told the manager that it would cost $12 to repair- and she gave me the additional discount, because she knew what her potential cost would be to get that item out of her inventory. The jacket went directly from the GAP to the tailor, and was mine, almost brand new at 55% off a week later. Buy items off season (eg end of summer and after Christmas clearance) and put it away for next year--- but only do this with BASIC items- nothing trendy or flashy that might no longer be *in fashion* the next year. Don't buy something that's just barely large enough to wear next season- unless you have a younger brother or sister at home to take it in case you go up in size.

Last free tip for today: guys it's easier if you save up your money and buy a few pieces at the same time (like 2 pants and 3 shirts) that you KNOW you will wear together and are interchangable, instead of trying to remember what you have in your closet and matching a new sweater with a shabby pair of chinos. If you walk into a store and tell the sales clerk (male or female) that you want 3 outfits and that everything you are buying has to be on clearance- IT CAN BE DONE. You might also get a special discount out of the deal.

I wanted to write something helpful but I sorta lost track of reality and started writing about every expensive brand I love. H&M is great, it has really good looking shirts and winter jackets and coats, the jeans are ok, not too good but fairly priced.

Gold Member

For business attire, my tip is that you can find a decent-looking but inexpensive suits and shirts at a discount store like Syms or Century21, but splurge on nice ties, belts, cufflinks, and the like. Those items last forever and they are what people will notice.

catch the sales at Kohl's if you have one close by, they also have shoes or go to a Shoe Carnival. I live on a very tight budget and that's what I do. I always get comments on how nice I look even when wearing jeans.

Gold Member

If you are willing to come to NY there are sample sales two or three times a year at the designer show rooms. You buy the sample... the draw back to this is you must be a sample size (which luckily I am) I am also lucky enough to know a few people in the fashion business that let me buy directly at wholesale price. The designers also have warehouse sales where they consolidate their overstocked or RTV (Returned to Vendor) items that they sell at unbeatable low prices.
If you don't have these contacts I know someone who buys fabulous clothes at designer consignment stores. If you can find one of these stores the clothes are gently worn and are a fraction of what they cost new. As I said I have a friend who has found some amazing things at these stores; I unfortunately have a phobia about wearing anyone else's clothing.
I also shop the end of season clearance sales at the nice stores... why pay full price when you can get it for 50-75 percent off.
If there is a outlet mall near you check it out. I once saw the tuxedo pumps that I paid $600.00 for a year later at an outlet store for $150.00.